Sewing machines



Filed July 1. 195

Jan. 2, 1962 G. VENDITTI SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 1 k L1 2 z a I I! A Q 4 5 6 4' 6. VENDITTI SEWING MACHINES Jan. 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1958 United States Patent 3,015,289 SEWING MACHINES Gaston Venditti, 44 Ave. Jules Valles, Coeuilly- Champigny, France Filed July 1, 1958, Ser. No. 746,029 12 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) This invention relates to sewing machines, and more especially though not exclusively, to portable sewing machines of the type disclosed in my co-pending U. S. application Ser. No. 644,665 filed March 7, 1957.

Labels and collars are usually stiffened by a reenforcing inner ply of fabric which is generally bonded to the inner side of the lapel or collar by spaced lines of stitches. It is an object of the present invention to provide that improvement in a portable sewing machine of the type disclosed in my above-identified co-pending patent application, whereby the machine will be adapted for stitching operations of the kind just specified. Another and broader object is to provide an improved work supporting attachment for a sewing machine.

The objects, advantages and characteristics of my invention will stand out clearly from the ensuing description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that said description and drawings are exemplary only and that other forms of embodiment than that shown may be conceived without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims. In the drawings:

FIG. 1. is a simplified plan view of improved work carrier means according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2a is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing a detail of the latter on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 2b is a sectional view and FIG. 20 a top view of details of FIG. 2 drawn to substantially the same scale as FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view with the machine in position for stitching;

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate details; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, showing the type of stitch produced by the sewing machine of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, an improved sewing machine attachment comprises a frame 1 adapted to be placed upon any suitable support or stand such as a table. The frame 1 includes cross members 2 and 3 upon which three rollers 4, 5 and 6 are journalled in suitable means, so that the axes of of the three rollers are parallel spaced, and generally horizontal. The relative position of the three rollers is best seen from FIG.2.

The central roller 5 is fixed in position, whereas the side rollers 4 and 6 can be moved away from and towards the central roller 5 for inserting between the central and each side roller a ply 7 of cloth and a ply 8 of reenforcing fabric to be stitched together, as shown in FIG. 2. The movable rollers 4 and 6 are retained in their operative positions in engagement with the middle roller, by the action of a'pair of levers 9 and 10 (see FIG. 4) having their one ends pivoted at 11 and 12 respectively to the cross members 2 and 3. The opposite downbent ends of the levers have tension springs 13 and 14 attached thereto which are anchored at their opposite ends to a common point of the frame. The under surfaces of levers 9 and 10 are formed with cutouts 15 and 16 engageable over the upper portions of the peripheries of the pivot pins projecting from the ends of the rollers 4 and 6 and serving to journal said rollers in the frame cross members. Thus with the levers in their operative positions shown in FIG. 4, the side rollers 4 and 6 are positively maintained at a predetermined spacing from the centre roller 5 corresponding to the combined ice thickness of the two plies of fabric to be stitched together. Either or both of the side rollers 4 and 6 may be lined with a coating 17 of yielding material, such as rubber or the like. The rollers 4 and 6 may be rotated manually, as with handles 4' and 6, or otherwise. A pair of guide rails 18 and 19 are supported on the frame spaced to opposite sides from the set of rollers 4, 5, 6, and parallel thereto.

The sewing machine with which the improved stitching attachment of this invention is used is illustrated herein in general outline only and may be assumed to be substantially similar to the portable machine disclosed in detail in my co-pending application identified above. As shown in FIG. 3 the frame of said machine has a pair of laterally spaced wheels 20 suitably journaled thereunder for rolling engagement with the afore-mentioned rails 18 and 19. The wheels 20 may be substituted for the pair of rollers designated by the references 15 and 16 in the afore-mentioned patent application. Further, the sewing machine is here shown as provided with a simplified form of presser foot comprising a member having two portions at right angles to each other including the horizontal portion 21 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) adapted to press down upon the ply of fabric 8 and a vertical upstanding portion connected to one end of a lever 21 which is pivotally connected at the other end thereof to the body of the sewing machine S. Formed in the under face of horizontal portion 21 is a depression or notch 22 for receiving therethrough the lower end portion of an arcuate needle member 23 as indicated in'FIGS. 2b and 2c. The wheels 20 and the presser foot 21 may constitute the only components of the sewing machine which require modification over the construction of the corresponding components disclosed in my afore-mentioned application. Preferably, such components are provided replaceable so that the same machine can serve both for ordinary sewing and stitching purposes, and for the modified stitching operations of the present invention.

In operation, the plies of cloth 8 or the like and fabric 7 to be stitched together are inserted in superimposed relationship between the rollers 4, 5 and 6 as indicated in FIG. 2, with the ply 8 being uppermost upon thecentral roller 5. It will be noted that in this condition the cloth ply 8 will have a slightly greater developed length than the under ply 7, so that the stitched collar, lapel or the like, will present no tendency to warp but will at all times be applied flat and smooth against the garment from which it depends.

The sewing machine is positioned with its wheels 2% supported on the rails 18, 19 and the presser foot 21 is positioned in pressing engagement with the upper surface of the ply 8 upon the upper periphery of central roller 5, with the arcuate needle 23 extending through the notch 22 therein. A stitch is now formed across the length of the double ply 7-8 as indicated in FIG. 6 by feeding the sewing machine, e. g. manually, along the rails 18-19. On completion of this initial stitch, rotation is imparted to the side rollers 4 and- 6 as by acting on the control levers 4' and 6 thereof, the amount of rotation corresponding to the desired spacing between adjacent spaced lines of stitches. A further line of stitches is then formed as by feeding the machine in reverse along the rails. The procedure may of course be repeat-' ed any number of times to complete the desired stitching operations. Various types of stitches may be used in addition to plain stitches. Thus chain stitches may be provided, as by substituting a hook system for the usual shuttle system, such replacement being similar to what is usually effected in chain stitching machines.

A number of other modifications and structural changes may of course be provided within the scope of this invention, and the range of applicability of the latter is not restricted to the type ofsewing machine specifically mentioned.

What I claim is:

1. For use with a portable sewing machine having spaced supporting wheels, an attachment for stitching collars and lapels comprising a frame, .a pair of spaced rails on said frame adapted for engagement by said pair of spaced supporting wheels of said sewing machine, a set of elongated rollers having ends journalled on said frame and extending between said rails and parallel thereto and adapted for gripping between adjacent surfaces thereof at least two juxtaposed plies of material to be stitched by said machine as the machine is advanced over said rails, one of said rollers being positioned to support the juxtaposed plies of material during the sewing thereof about the upper part of the periphery of said roller and means connected to at least one end of at least,

one of said rollers for pivoting the latter about the axis thereof in a direction transverse to the stitching produced by the machine during advance thereof over said rails for shifting said plies over the supporting roller in a direction transverse to the axis thereof.

' 2. A stitching attachment for a sewing machine having spaced wheels, a presser foot depending from the machine 7 between said wheels for engaging work to be stitched,

and a needle cooperating with the presser'foot, said attachment comprising a frame, spaced rails on the frame for engagement by said wheels for displacing the machine bodily across the frame, an elongated roller suprollers mounted on said frame parallel with said first roller, means for moving said additional rollers towards and away from said first roller, and means for adjustably rotating said additional rollers in a comrnondirection to shift the work across said first roller.

4. A stitching attachment for a sewing machine having spaced supporting wheels comprising a frame adapted to support said spaced supporting Wheels for movement along said rails, a pair of spaced rails on the frame, an elongated cylindrical roller supported on the frame intermediate said rails and parallel thereto, and gripper means cooperating with said roller for releasably gripping work to be stitched about the upper periphery of said roller.

7 5. A work-supporting attachment fora sewing machine having spaced supporting wheels comprising a frame, a pair of spaced'rails on the frame adapted to support said spaced supporting wheels for movement along said rails,

a first elongated roller supported on the rframe intermediate said rails and parallel thereto, a pair of additional rollers movably mounted in the frame for selective movement into and outvof engagement with said first roller on opposite sides thereof to grip said work thereagainst, and means for adjustably rotating said additional rollers in a common direction to shift the work across the periphery of the first roller. 7 V

6. In combination, a' sewing machine having spaced supporting wheels, a presser foot depending from the machine betweensaid wheels to engage work to be stitched and stitching means depending from the machine for cooperation with said presser' foot tojstitch said work; a

frame, a pair of spaced rails on the frame adapted for engagementby said'wheels for bodily displacement of said machine across the frame, said'rails defining therebetween a free space on said frame, and work-supporting means mounted on said frame within said space and comprising a work-supporting surface underlying said presser foot and generally parallel to said rails, and means for shifting the work across said surface transversely to its general extent for presenting selected areas of the Work for engagement by the presser foot and stitching by said stitching means.

7. In combination, a sewing machine having spaced support wheels, a presser foot depending from the machine between said wheels for engagement with the surface of work, and stitching means depending from the machine for cooperation with said presser foot to stitch said work, .a frame, a pair ofspaced rails on the frame adapted for engagement by said wheels, said rails defining therebetwecn a free space on said frame, and work-supporting means on the frame within said space and vcornprising an elongated cylindrical roller parallel to said rails with its top surface underlying said presser foot, further roller means for releasably clamping said work over said first roller, and means for adjustably rotating said further rollers for shifting the work in a direction transverse to the elongation of said first roller so as to present selected areas of said work for engagement by the presserfoot to be stitched by said stiching means,

8. A sewing arrangement comprising, in combination, a fabric supporting unit including an elongated roller, the upper peripheral portion of which forming a single, uninterrupted supporting surface curved in direction transverse to its elongation for supporting the fabric thereon during sewing; a sewing mechanism unit including a curved sewing needle arranged .with the curvature of said sewing'needle opposite ot the curvature of said curved supporting surface and movable in a direction transverse to said curved supporting surface adjacent thereto so as to pass through the fabric to be sewn and supported by said curved supporting surface; and means mounting at least one of said units for movement in axial direction of said roller during the sewing operation.

9. A sewing arrangement comprising, in combination, a fabric supporting unit including an elongated roller, the upper peripheral portion of which forming a single, uninterrupted supporting surface curved in direction transverse to its elongation for supporting the fabric thereon during sewing and meansfor holding the fabric tightly about said curved supporting surface and for shifting thefabric in a direction transverse to the axis of said elongated roller; a sewing mechanism unit including a curved sewing needle arranged with'the curvature of said sewing needle opposite to the curvature of said curved supporting surface and movable in a direction transverse to said curved supporting surface adjacent thereto was to pass through the fabric to be sewn and supported by said curved supporting surface; and means mounting at least one of said units for movement in axial direction of said roller during the sewing operation.

10. A sewing arrangement comprising, in combination, a fabric supporting unit including an elongated roller, the upper peripheral portionof which forming a single, uninterrupted supporting surface curved in direction transverse to its elongation for'supporting the fabric thereon during sewingand means for holding the fabric tightly about said curved supporting surface and for shifting the fabric in a direction transverse to the axis of said elongated roller, said means including a pair of additional rollers arranged on opposite sides of said elongated roller substantially: parallel and adjacent thereto but spaced therefrom; a sewing mechanism unit including a curved sewing needle arranged with the curvature of said sewingneedle opposite to the curvature of said curved supporting surface and movable in a direction transverse to said'curved supporting surface adjacent theretoso as to pass through the fabric to be sewn and snpp'orted'by said curved supporting surface;;and,means mounting at least one of said units for movementin axial direction of said roller during the sewing operation.

11. A sewing arrangement comprisingin combination,

a fabric supporting unit including an elongated roller, the upper peripheral portion of which forming a single, uninterrupted supporting surface curved in direction transverse to its elongation for supporting the fabric thereon during sewing and means for holding the fabric tightly about said curved supporting surface and for shifting the fabric in a direction transverse to the axis of said elongated roller, said means including a pair of additional rollers arranged on opposite sides of said elongated roller substantially parallel and adjacent thereto but spaced therefrom, supporting means for supporting said additional rollers for turning movement about the axes thereof, respectively, and means connected to said additional rollers for turning the same about the axis thereof; a sewing mechanism unit including a curved sewing needle arranged with the curvature of said sewing needle opposite to the curvature of said curved supporting surface and movable in a direction transverse to said curved supporting surface adjacent thereto so as to pass through the fabric to be sewn and supported by said curved supporting surface; and means mounting at least one of said units for movement in axial direction of said roller during the sewing operation.

12. A sewing arrangement comprising, in combination, a fabric supporting unit including an elongated roller, the upper peripheral portion of which forming a single, uninterrupted supporting surface curved in direction transverse to its elongation for supporting the fabric thereon during sewing, and means for holding the fabric tightly about said curved supporting surface and for shifting the fabric in a direction transverse to the axis of said elongated roller, said means including a pair of additional rollers arranged on opposite sides of said elongated roller substantially parallel and adjacent thereto but spaced therefrom, supporting means for supporting said additional rollers for turning movement about the axes thereof, respectively and for movement of said additional rollers from a position closely spaced from said elongated roller to a position further spaced there from, and means connected to said additional rollers for turning the same about the axis thereof; a sewing mechanism unit including a curved sewing needle arranged with the curvature of said sewing needle opposite to the curvature of said curved supporting surface and movable in a direction transverse to said curved supporting surface adjacent thereto so as to pass through the fabric to be sewn and supported by said curved supporting surface; and means mouning at least one of said units for movement in axial direction of said roller during the sewing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 254,696 Roberts Mar. 7, 1882 982,219 Onderdonk Jan. 17, 1911 1,993,341 Strobe]. Apr. 16, 1935 2,336,404 Kelly Dec. 7, 1943 2,518,147 Johnson et al Aug. 8, 1950 

